1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to trash containers such as trash bags and the like and more particularly, to a drawstring trash container which is characterized in a preferred embodiment by a round sheet of flexible, resilient material such as plastic having a selected thickness, with loops, panel slits or a continuous channel provided in or near the periphery thereof for receiving drawstring. The resilient sheet is first deployed on the ground or other surface and trash such as leaves, weeds and the like is deposited on the sheet, after which the drawstring ends are tightened to slide it through the loops panel slits or continuous channel which are gathered to contain the trash in the resulting bag. The ends of the drawstring may then be tied to close the gathered bag mouth and further secure the trash inside the newly created bag structure. The drawstring securing means for the drawstring trash container may include tab loops attached to the periphery of the resilient sheet, slits provided in spaced relationship near the periphery of the sheet, extension loops extending integrally from the periphery of the sheet, folded back on the sheet and secured, and a continuous drawstring channel formed in similar fashion by folding the peripheral edge of the flexible sheet material back on itself and sewing, gluing or attaching the folded edge by means of a sonic weld or similar technique, depending upon the material of construction chosen for the sheet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Collection of trash such as leaves, weeds, pine straw and the like is normally effected using large plastic collection bags which may be packaged individually in containers or stored on a continuous roll, to be stripped from the roll at perforations provided in spaced relationship on the roll. Alternatively, the bags may be packaged individually in plastic sheaths or other packaging and some collection bags are provided with drawstrings at the mouth thereof, for closing the mouth and securing the contents after the trash is deposited therein.
One of the problems realized with conventional trash bags and particularly, the thin, plastic trash bags which are commonly provided on a continuous roll separated by bag perforations, is that of determining which end of the plastic bag is sealed when the bag is torn from the roll and opened for depositing trash. The sides of the bag are normally tightly pressed together with a "static cling" effect, which is accentuated when the bags are continuously rolled. Consequently, considerable time is sometimes spent trying to determine which end of the bag should be opened to receive the trash. Another problem is that of fully opening and deploying the plastic bag in a convenient configuration while depositing the trash, to prevent much of the trash from falling on the ground outside the bag. The bag is far too limp to be self-supporting and various types of supports and hangers, or a second person must therefore be used to support the bag with the open mouth configured to receive the trash. Other techniques include the use of plastic inserts which fit in the mouth of the bag for holding the mouth open during the depositing of trash. It is noted that all of these techniques require not only the bag itself for receiving the trash but also a helper or a positioning aid of various design for either supporting the bag in an upright configuration with the mouth open, or opening the mouth itself to receive the trash during trash collection.
Various types of bags and coverings have been designed to protect such items as Christmas trees and the like, and for collecting trash. U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,025, dated Nov. 3, 1959, to M. Paros, details a "Combination Christmas Tree Cover and Needle Catcher" for fitting over a Christmas tree and catching dry needles from the Christmas tree as the tree ages. A "Leaf Handling Device" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,187, dated Nov. 28, 1967, to M. Brindle. The leaf handling device includes an elongated, flat strip of material having a rope at one end and placed flat on the ground or other surface for receiving and collecting trash. U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,829, dated Mar. 6, 1984, to Robert L. Barnard, details a "Collapsible Yard Pan". The collapsible yard pan includes a rigid frame covered with a pliable fabric or plastic film which is contoured to form a portable bag-like container that can be opened along one side and having an end which lies flat for easy filling. The bag may be opened to receive trash, closed to enclose the trash and finally reopened at one end to allow the contents of the bag to be emptied. U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,600, dated Sept. 18, 1984, to Daniel W. Dunleavy, details a "Leaf Bagging Equipment and Method". The leaf collecting and bag assembly includes a plastic bag having an open end and a square or rectangular interval sheet attached to the open end of the bag and having an opening which communicates with the bag. The bag and sheet are laid flat on the ground, leaves or other trash are raked or otherwise collected on the interval sheet and the leaves are then directed into the underlying bag by raising the corners of the interval sheet. A "Method and Means of Bagging Loose Trash" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,183, dated May 28, 1985, to Ross Parody. A sheet of flexible material such as fabric or plastic is provided with flaps, loops and ties so that it can be positioned over a pile of loose material, with rigid sticks attached to the loops along two parallel edges of the sheet. The rigid sticks may be grasped by the user and forced together between the surface and the material, forming an open-ended envelope containing the material, which envelope is then turned over and flaps at the end of the envelope secured and tied over the ends to close the envelope, while the two sides made rigid by the sticks are tied together. The sticks may then be removed, leaving the flexible sheet formed into an envelope that encloses the material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,480, dated Dec. 31, 1985, to S. C. Underwood, details a "Leaf Caddy". The leaf caddy includes an upper rim constructed of a light-weight, strong, flexible material, the rim including a pair of first and second thin, flexible rods connected to a bowl-shaped, flexible material such as plastic. The flexible rods are designed to deploy into a circular configuration, forming a bowl for receiving trash or other material to be collected and subsequently closed to enclose the trash or other material therein. A "Disposable Apparatus for the Collection of Refuse" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,477, dated Apr. 19, 1988, to Mark C. Grossmeyer. The device includes a sheet-like member for placement upon a surface, which sheet-like member is devoid of apertures and defines a regular geometric shape. In one embodiment the device includes multiple disposable securing stakes or adhesive pads attached at the corners thereof for securing a member to the surface during the collection of refuse. The corners are attached to one another by a tie for disposal of the member, the securing stakes or the adhesive pads and the refuse collected thereon.
It is an object of this invention to provide a drawstring trash container which is characterized by a thin, flexible sheet fitted with a drawstring at or near the periphery thereof for deployment flat on the ground or other supporting surface, receiving trash or other material for collection and enclosure of the trash or other material by tightening the drawstring and gathering and shaping the flexible sheet into a bag-like structure.
Another object of this invention is to provide a drawstring trash container which includes a round, resilient plastic or fabric material fitted with tab loops, slits, extension loops or a drawstring channel at or near the periphery thereof for slidably receiving a drawstring, wherein the drawstring trash container may be deployed flat on the ground or other supporting surface for receiving trash or other material. The ends of the drawstring are then tightened to define a bag for containing the trash or other material after collection.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a drawstring trash container which includes a round plastic sheet of selected thickness, flexibility, resiliency and diameter, with tab loops, slits, extension loops or a drawstring channel provided in or near the periphery of the plastic sheet for receiving a drawstring in sliding relationship wherein the sheet may be initially deployed flat on the ground or other supporting surface, trash or other material placed o the plastic sheet and the drawstring subsequently tightened and extended through the tab loops, panel slits, extension loops or drawstring channel to close the periphery of the plastic sheet and define a bag for enclosing the trash or other material.